Shoe tree



Feb. 7, 1928.

R. w. BREWER SHOE TREE Filed April 8. 1924 mum Suva "fez R, W. Bre we);

I is y fails to hold the leather smoothbecause it '35 a lace'oxford, but in a button oxfordit must 4o appliedto a strap oxford does not holdthe U the leather vamp smooth and neat, and to Patented Feb. 7, 1928.

'"UNlTED STA sHon TREE.

Application inea April 8,

My invention relates to shoe trees, and more particularly to the type of shoe trees which are used to hold the shoe in shape for purpose of display for. sale.

The means now on the'market for hold ing a shoe, such. as an oxford, and more especially an oxford with straps, in shape for display in shoe stores, show windows, and as salesmens samples, do not hold the shoe in good shape for purposes of display. The usual method employed is-to fill thetoe. of the shoe with tissue paper, and if the oxford has straps, to hold the straps ex tended by means of a small stick extending from the sole to the strap. Often'the paper is. not crammed in the shoe with sufficient pressure, and again the paper may he too tight and cause the shoe to appear distorted. Again, the stick for holding the straps extended may be too long, which will strain the strap, or it may be too short and fall out or be displaced in handling.

The shoe trees at present in use stretch the vamp leather both lengthwise and crosswise and flatten the sole, as is necessary after wearingv the shoe in damp weather. These shoe trees are designed to reform the shoe. None of the trees hold. the instep straps or 1' lace or buttoninsteps up in a natural position suitable for display.

I One of the best devices on the market for displaying shoes is the papier mach form.

made the same shape as the shoe. This per forms its function very well when applied to necessarily be loose in the instep to permit the :shoe to be buttoned, so that its, function of holding the button oxford in shape is. to a large degree negatived. Thesam'e device straps correctly and isvery'unsightly, giving the displayed shoe a heavy or clumsy appearance. This form must be made for the particular shoe to be displayed, and cannot be a used successfully with any other style or shape of shoe.

It is to'meet these disadvantages and to satisfythe need in the trade that I have inventedthis device). ts, function is to hold hold tl1e,inst ep, which may comprise straps or any other type of instep construction, true to form, atthe same time presenting a neat appearance.

'Other objects of my invention are to de- 1924. Ser1a1-.No.705,01 2.

vise a shoe display tree which is simple and cheap to manufacture, easy to adjustfand which is at the same time not liable to be easily displaced, and yet which can be readily removed when desired. I

With these and other objects in view which maybe incident to my improvements, the invention consists in, the parts and comhinations to be; hereinafter set forth and claimed, with the understanding that the res PATENT OFFICE.

several necessary elements comprising my 7 invention may be varied in construction, proportions and arrangement, without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the appended claims. i

In order to make my invention more clearly understood, I have shown in "the accompanying drawings means for carrying the same into practical effect, without limiting the improvements in their useful applications to the particular constructions, which for the purpose of explanation, have been made the subject of illustration.

h In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shoe, showing in dotted lines one of my devices holding the samein shape; i

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of a form of my device;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the form shown in Fig. 2, the dotted lines showing the'approximate positions the parts take when the device isfinsefrted in the shoe; 7

Fig. l is a'perspective view'in detail offthe card holdingv means attached to the instep Fig. 5 a side elevationof form of my device;

Fig. 6 is a detail view looking in the direc-' tion of the arrows 6-6 of Fig. 5; i

Fig. 7 s aside elevation of yet anothe modification of my device i Fig. 8 isaperspective "view of form of myldevice.

Referring to the a modified 1 another form in Figs. 1 to l inclusive, Ilhave shown ashoe display tree comprising a base support 1, consisting of a" resilient stripof metal. The base support .1 is bent at oneend to form ajbackwardly in shape so it is not necessary to part.

By reason of the fact that shoes vary largely in the shape over the instep, the vamp sup port is not made to supportthe instep at all. The spade shaped vamp support 3, it will be noticed, has a cut out portion a: at its top. This insures that the vamp support will not extend up into the instep. son of its spade shape, the convex outer surface conforms approximately to the curvature of any shoe, and the cut out portion i at the upper end insures that there shall be no support given to the instep.

The base piece 1 is bent back upon itself at 5 to form a spring support for an instep support piece 6, which is integrally formed with the spring support oi the same strip of metal. The instep support piece 6 is formed by bending the metal of the spring support 5 back upon itself, presenting an upwardly bowed surface. At the upper end otthe .instep support 6, there is formed a "ard holder comprisingan upwardly extendihg tongue 7 cutout of the metal or the strip itself, and two upwardly extending back pieces 8 which are positioned at an angle to the tongue 7 and present a convexsurface to a card 9 inserted in the angle formed between the backpieces 8 and the tongue 7.

The instep support 6 presents a bowed surface separately spring pressed from the vamp support 3 to hold the instep in position. I

' have found that this feature of separating the vamp support from the instep support makes the device much more efficient than is the case where the instep support is conneeted to, or is an extension or, the vamp support. In the latter type of device, there is great difficulty in adjusting the display tree, and once adjusted, it will fit only one s as and site. By reason of the fact that the instep support is separate from the vamp support, I can hold the shoe distended and practically smooth over its entire exterior surface. The spade-shaped vamp support holds the leather smooth, although it is not held tightly or subject to creasing or bulging. I In Fig. 5 I have shown a modification in which the resilientstrip of metal 1 forming the base piece has an overturned end 10 adapted to rest in the heel or the shoe. The base piece 1 has two lugs 11 which project from the upper surface, and which lit into a slot 12 formed in the support strip 5 for the instep support 6. The support strip 5 is made separate, and hence the position of the instep support 6 may be varied by sliding the support strip 5 either forward or backward. The lugs. 11 are formed with heads 13 which bear against the upper surface of the support strip 5, and hold the tr 5 the frictional engagement with the support strip 5 a'cent the slot 12. In this form I have shown the instep support piece 6 as having a downturned end 14, instead or be By reain adjusted position by reason of.

ing provided with a card holder,as is shown in the forms in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a form quite similar to the form shown in Fig. 5, with this dilierence, that in Fig. 7 I have provided a slide member 15 to which the resilient support 5 for the instep support 6 is attached. The slide member 15 is made by bending a strip of stiff but bendable metal around the base strip 1. The support piece 5 attached to and moves with the slide member 15, and the position of the instep support 6 may be readily varied by sliding the slide member 15 on the base strip 1. I preferably adjust the slide member 15 so that it has a suliieiently strong frictional engagement with the base strip 1 to hold the instep support (3 in its adjusted position.

In Fig. 8 I have shown a form of display shoe tree in which the base piece 1 is formed by twisting two resilient wires together. The support 2 for the vamp support piece 3 is formed by bending the two wires upon themselves in parallel relationship. Likewise the resilient support 5 for the instep support 6 is formed by bending the wires forming the base upon themselves and maintaining them in parallel relationship. To term the instep support, the wires are bent in parallel relationship and at an acute angle to the support 5/ There has been no attempt on my part to devise a shoe display tree to flatten the sole or reform the shoe, for the shoeohas not been worn and is not out 01": shape. My device does, however, hold the vamp tended smoothly and the instep distended as though the shoe were on the foot. The appearance of the shoe with the device in it is neat, by reason of the light construction of the display tree, which adds rather than detracts from the appearance of the shoe; When used in light evening slippers, my display tree adds to the dainty and light appearance of the slipper.

While I shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I wish it tobe understood "that I do not confine myself to the precise details of construction herein set, forth, by way of illustration, asit is apparent that many Cllfiii} and variations may be made therein, by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit oi the invention, or exceeding the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: I

l. A. shoe display tree comprising 'a base piece, 'a vamp supportmounted on the "base piece, an instep support separate from "the vamp support, and spring means carried on the "base piece for supporting the instep support. p

2. A shoe display tree comprising a vamp support, a resilient support for the vamp support, an instep support separatefrom the disvamp support, and spring means for supporting the instep support.

3. A shoe display tree comprising a base piece, a vamp support, resilient means for supporting the vamp support carried by the base piece, an instep support separate from the vamp support, and spring means carried on the base piece for supporting the instep support.

l. A shoe display tree comprising a base piece, a spade-shaped vampsupport, resilient means carried by the base piece for resiliently supporting the vamp support, an instep support, and spring means carried on r the base piece for supporting the instep support.

A shoe display tree comprising a base piece, a vamp support, a resilient strip of spring metal supporting the vamp support carried by: the base piece, an instep support, and a resilient piece of metal integral with the base piece for supporting the instep support.

G. A shoe display tree comprising a base piece of resilient metal, a vamp support, a resilient strip of spring metal formed by bending the base piece upon itself to support thevamp support, an instep support formed of the same strip as the base piece, and a resilient support for the instep support formed by bending the metal of which the base piece is formed upon itself.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ROGER W; BREWVER. 7 

